Economic stress hurts dental care; Nebraska students caught selling exams

Dear DrBicuspid Member,

It's hard not to feel the effects of the economic crisis in the U.S. these days. Everyone I know is worried about jobs, stocks, housing prices, fuel costs, the election -- you name it. It's all a bit distracting, if not downright stressful.

In fact, researchers from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation call this the "distraction mechanism," and they say it -- not lack of money or lack of insurance -- is responsible for keeping an increasing number of patients out of the dental chair during tough economic times. What can dentists do to reverse this trend? Find out here.

Speaking of anxiety, a 20-year tradition at the University of Nebraska has come to a screeching halt after the dean of the dental school discovered that a 1,200-page study guide containing faculty notes, exams, slides, charts, and other proprietary materials was being sold to first-year students for $150. Now the state auditor is investigating as well. Read more.

In imaging news, research presented at the recent Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery meeting in Barcelona, Spain, demonstrated that by using Logicon software, dentists can double or triple their accuracy in spotting subtle proximal caries. But there are questions about the study's methodology. Read more.

On the clinical front, a study in the fall issue of Anesthesia Progress concludes that IV sedation using dexmedetomidine (Dex), commonly used in intensive care units following surgery, is appropriate for use in certain dental applications. But anesthesia experts say there are important limitations to consider. Read more.

Finally, we're proud to announce a new partnership with The Dental Advisor. Once a month we'll provide DrBicuspid.com members with a full-length product-comparison article from this well-respected publication. Check out the first installment, "Bonding Agents -- 2008," here.

And be sure to stop by the DrBicuspid.com booth next week at the ADA meeting in San Antonio and say hello. We'd love to meet you!